Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-10-08
JOHN II. NOLIN BRUTALLY
AssAssINATED s
While Lying Asleep on a Bench
in His Blacksmith Shop.
Two Negroes in Jail Charged
With the, Crime, and Each
Tells o Different Story.


Our old friend Capt. Gabe Russell
paid our sanctum a pleasant visit on
Wednesday. We interviewed him
upon the Nolin tragedy, and he in
formed us that there were no new
! developments. The testimony be-
fore the jury Of inquest was as fol-
lows: Nolin had gone to the scene
of the tragedy, which was n black
smith shop owned by him about two
hundred yards from his dwelling.
He had gone there to look after some
work that was being done for him by
two colored boys, Harpeth Jordan,
the son of the blacksmith George
Jordan, of Cumberland city, and
Allen McCullom, q boy who was
raised on Nolin's place and had been
working for him pretty well all Of
his life. After explaining to the ne
groes how he wanted the work done,
Nolin took a seat in the front door of
the shop, and leaning his head
against the door post of the shop,
fell asleep. He enjoyed his nap for
half an hour and then got up, and
requested Jordan to remove some
single-trees from work bench, say.
Y
ing that he had been awake all the
night before and was sleepy, and
wanted to go to sleep. Jordan
obeyed the order, and had returned
to the forge just as Nolin was in the
Iact of getting upon the bench to lie
down. AT that moment the sharp
report of pistol rang out on the
evening air, and Nolin staggered to-
wards the blacksmith exclaiming
I'm shot" Jordan took hold of
him and let him gently down upon
the ground. He expired In few
minutes and never uttered another
word. The ball entered three inches
below the left nipple passed between
the left lung and the stribling OF the
heart, and lodged in the right lung.
This Is the statement made before
jury of, inquest, and upon which
their verdict was based, 1t being to
the effect tfidt John Nolin came to
his death by means of gun-shot
wound inflicted by gun OF pistol
in the hands of some person to the
jurors unknown.
But these statements, upon a mere
critical examination, not being
deemed satisfactory, and suspicious
being aroused against the witnesses,
on Saturday rope was sent for, and
Allen Medallion was told that if he
would make clean breast of it and
disclose the entire transaction, he
would be protected. He thea pro-
ceeded 20 accuse Harpeth Jordan of
having fired the fatal shot with the
Intention of robbing his person of |
the money a considerable sum of |
which Nolin was known always to |
carry about with him. Upon Allen
McCullom's statement, both the ne
groes were arrested on Saturday
night, and were lodged in Jail at |
GAINESVILLE Sunday morning. One of
the parties who was present and
heard it, says that McCulIom, the
striker, and States witness, who is a
young mulatto, 81 or % years old,
5all and with face by no means for
bidding or disagreeable, made the
following statement: After having
gathered corn all the morning, Nolin
'old him that he wanted him to help
Jordan in the shop that evening after
Inner. After he had been working
with Jordan little while, the latter
old him that he Jordan was going
20 do something he must not tell. /
He answered Jordan that he
McCullom) had nothing to do with
jordan's business. Jordan said that
certain person had a mighty habit
IF pulling out his money, and that
ne (Jordan) was going to see If he
lad it that evening.
BY and by, Mr.. Nolir came and
after helping them on certain piece
If work, he took seat in the shop
ioor, and slept for an hour. ARGUS
ng himself from this nap, Nolin
complained of being sleepy, and at
MS request. Jordan removed some
'hings from the workbench and
Nolin laid down upon it with his
back downwards and his left side to
he wall. Jordan, he said, offered
Nolin coal sack, but Nolin told him
ne didn't want that d-nl thing un-
Ter his head.